The Gravel Hits Just Keep A Comin'!

This year has to be some sort of a record from the standpoint of new gravel road riding events. I really should compile a list and get all the data together, but really, nary a week goes by that I don't post up something on Gravel Grinder News about a new gravel event.

One of the cooler race logos

Many of these events are in and around Iowa too. The re-named Buffalo 105, the Buck-Fifty X-gravelganza, and the Illinois based GGGRRR are just a few of the most recent additions to the calendar of late. Out of all of the three aforementioned events, the Buffalo 105 is the shortest one! 

So, you can really "get yer gravel on" and not have to travel very far for any of these events. The bonus is that most of these new events are free too. Don't have much for a travel budget and still want to have fun? Maybe one of these events, or others like it, will fit yer bill.

And that's really what is getting surprising from my point of view- the free, close to home options for this style of riding. Used to be that the options after the Dirty Kanza 200 took place, (which is happening this weekend. Good luck riders!), were few and far between. We'd have to wait till August for the Good Life Gravel Adventure, (Now "Gravel Worlds), in Lincoln for an organized event. (Well......yes- there has been a Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational in there, but that hardly counts, does it?)

Now we've got The Westside Dirty Benjamin, The Dirty Lemming, and the Heck of the North to take us all the way through the summer into fall, plus other events you can find out about here.

So if "the Rag-bree" ain't yer thing, and you want more adventure, challenge, and fun, go gravel this summer. There really isn't any reason not to now.